By Hemant SharmaHave you ever been to the famous Sri Harmandir Sahib temple? Don’t get it? It is the Golden Temple down there in Amritsar that we’re talking about. You must have visited this temple already, after all, it is one of the most famous religious places, not just in India though, we’re talking about on a global stage here. Like, covered in about 400 kgs of pure gold, yes, that’s something you don’t see anywhere, especially not in most religious places, and that’s precisely what makes the Golden Temple so famous.
Looking at that, you may be thinking that Golden Temple is among the richest temples in India, right? Well, that’s true, and if we talk about Golden Temple net worth, well, that’s about ₹690 crores, according to some recent estimates.
Though, it is not always a good thing to put a price on something that is so sacred, especially for Sikhs and millions of visitors that visit this temple every single year.
Where Does the Money Come From?
Yes, yes, we get it, you must be thinking like what’s the biggest source of money for this temple? Well, donations! That’s precisely what!
Since Golden Temple is so famous, surely, every single day, thousands of visitors leave offerings here, and on top of that, some drop pure cash into the donation boxes, while others even donate or give gold, jewellery, and even property to the temple.
But how many donations are we talking about here? Well, over a year, these donations add up to about ₹85 crore, which is a HUGE number if you really think about it for a sec.
Though, if you think that only the Indian residents donate to this temple, then you’re actually wrong. You see, millions of Sikhs living abroad also send money, and that’s precisely why in 2020, the Indian government actually made it super easy to send overseas donations.
And Where Exactly Does This Money Go?
Well, that’s something Golden Temple is famous for, and what is that exactly? Oh, you see, a huge chunk of money goes into feeding people.
Like, those who have visited this temple already know the fact that they run the Guru Ram Das Langar, you know, a free kitchen that serves food to 50,000 to 100,000 people every single day, and that too, without charging a single penny. Have you ever seen that anywhere else, like anywhere else in the world?
Though keep in mind that it is even mind-boggling that on busy days, like religious festivals, that number can go up to 200,000 people.
And to be honest, running this massive free kitchen isn’t cheap, like not at all. As per the estimates, it costs more than ₹30 crore every year. EVERY SINGLE YEAR!
Is the Golden Temple One of the Richest Religious Places?
It’s definitely very rich, but compared to some other religious sites, it’s not the absolute richest in terms of cash, we can say THAT for sure. Like, there are many other temples that are super rich in India, but talking about the Golden Temple, well, it sure is one of the most special, religious and just stunning places in the country.